How I feel about boot camp

[Day_break]

My son has not left yet. He leaves on April 1 and as the day gets closer I am getting more and more scared and nervous for him. I keep having dreams of him getting yelled at a lot and he is not liking it. I wake up sweating and crying. I cannot wait for boot camp to be over.

[amandamomof4]

Here is a navy mom (((((hug))))) Day break. It will be ok, yes there is yelling but it is not personal. The advice my brother gave my son when he left for boot camp is "don't take anything personally".  For me the anticipation of my son leaving was worse than when he was at bootcamp. I was very emotionally drained for a few days after he left but as each day went by with no calls I began to feel better. Yes I missed him but we raised him with the expectation that he would leave home and begin his own adventure and I was so proud that he followed his dream to be in the military.

Poke around this site there is a lot if info here. Groups to join and the live chat feature are great. The RTC just put out a new video about boot camp, maybe it will ease your fears a little

http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/faces_of_bootcamp_lead.asp

[lemonelephant]

Your young adult has made his decision to join the Navy and now it is time to start believing in him and that all will be well for him.  If he is yelled at, it will be to help him and his shipmates to become the Sailors that they need to be. It's hard to think of your little boy going through that, but he is not your little boy when he gets to BC, he is a recruit who wants to be part of the US Navy.  We don't want Sailors who are just in it for themselves; they must realize that they must watch each other's backs and work together and when they do that, there is less yelling and less IT (Intensive Training--extra exercises given as a corrective action). Start encouraging him now to be the respectful, helpful, and honorable young person that you have raised him to be and the Navy will build on that and he will be a Sailor one day that you and he can be proud of.

You may wish to join the group, DEP-Leavin for bootcamp in April.  You will meet others with loved ones leaving that day/week who may be in the same TG and have PIR together. Be sure to check out the discussion, Things to Do in the Last Month Before Your Future Sailor Leaves for.... I also suggest you join Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones) and New Members Stop Here and check out the Pages (found under the pictures of the Members) and Discussions there.

Your future Sailor may want to join http://www.navydep.com to learn the ins and outs from the DEP point of view. Craig runs that and will steer him to some good links on there.

(Group names and the link within this reply are clickable links. To join a group, click on the group name and when the group page opens, click on "+ Join..." in the upper right.)

[Karry]

I have to tell you that my son signed up on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving week. The following Monday he went in for his first training with his recruiter and they told him he would be leaving the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. He was gone in 2 weeks. We barely had the time to process it. It was the first Christmas in 21 years that I my son wasn't home. I struggled. However. I found this site to be very supportive. He only just called for the first time this past Tuesday. He didn't get to call on Christmas. I was very sad. The first letter came and it broke my heart! I cried and cried and cried. But then Tuesday that phone call made every tear, every moment of worry, because my son said how excited he is and how much he is looking toward to his future. He sounded so great. I get to see him in 7 days and I can't wait to wrap my arms around my son. It will be the hardest 8 weeks. But in the end, your son will be more of a man than you could have ever wished for. Hold fast and write him encouraging letters everyday. It helped me so much. This site really helped me and all the Mom's on this site are wonderful. Everyone of them helped me and I know they will help you too. God Bless you and your son. Please thank him for protecting my freedom. God blessings.

[lemonelephant]

Karry, wow, what a ride you've had! I see you have joined the PIR group for your SR's TG; you may also want to join, or at least check out, Boot Camp Moms (and loved ones), PIR Reference Information, and New Members Stop Here. There will be a lot of great information and support for you in those groups as well as in the PIR group. Be sure to check out the Pages (found under the pictures of the Members) and Discussions within the groups.

(Group names are clickable links.)

[Day_break]

Want to thank you all for your comments. It feels good knowing my feelings are normal. I am still on a roller coaster here but talking to my son more and more about it and we are on the same page also have a dear friend that has been a rock for me . She watched all 3 of her boys go into the military. I am just starting with 2 going in the military 3 months apart unreal.